INTERVIEW WITH MELISSA DE LA CRUZ PLUS GIVEAWAY
Gates of Paradise (A Blue Bloods Novel)
by Melissa de la Cruz
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Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince of Hell is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent
on winning the heavenly throne for good. This time he has his greatest angels by his side, Abbadon and Azrael—Jack and Mimi Force, as they are known in the Coven.
Or so he thinks. Even as Lucifer assigns Jack and Mimi the tasks of killing their true loves, the Force twins secretly vow to defeat the Dark Prince once and for all. But how far will Mimi and Jack go to conceal their real loyalties?
Meanwhile, former vampire Bliss Llewellyn has joined forces with Lawson, the greatest wolf of the underworld, to free his people from their imprisonment in Hell. As they struggle against impossible odds, an ancient message, woven into the very fabric of time, reveals just how much depends on the success of their mission.
Lucifer seeks the key to the Gate of Promise, and when Schuyler is taken captive and delivered straight to Hell, she must make an unthinkable choice—the same one the archangel Michael was forced to make during the Crisis in Rome. Will Schuyler find the strength to do what he could not? The epic, heartbreaking Blue Bloods series comes to a close with this final novel about staggering courage, unbearable sacrifice, and the immortality of true love.
Interview
What is your favorite thing about Gates of Paradise (A Blue Bloods Novel)?
The story of what happened between Michael and Gabrielle – the secret of what destroyed their bond is the foundation of the Blue Bloods series – if that hadn’t happened, Schuyler would never have been born and there would have been no story. So we had to figure it out (and I say ‘we’ because my husband and I worked on the series arc together) from the beginning and I’ve always loved it because it was so beautiful and human and tragic what happened to them and I think it’s the classic – ‘everything went wrong’ ‘your greatest strength is also your greatest failure’ sort of thing… If things don’t go wrong, there are no stories. 🙂
What was your biggest surprise in writing this final book, or did you have everything all mapped out in preparation for the next Blue Bloods cycle?
The last chapter with Oliver was pretty surprising, I had no idea really, but it just felt so natural, and when it happened on the page, I remember feeling like I was being pulled out of my seat, it was so exciting. So that was a new twist I didn’t see coming. That’s why you have to listen to your characters. 🙂
Which character ended up being your favorite in the series and why?
Mimi has always been my favorite from the beginning. She’s so much fun and so evil and flawed, but she has her reasons for acting that way. Mimi’s very much a traditionalist and I sympathize with people like that. She likes things the way they were, whereas Schuyler is the revolutionary who is forging a new path. Change is frightening!
If you could go back to the beginning of the series and change one thing, what would it be and why?
Oy. I would fix all the inconsistencies, like when did Schuyler’s mother go into a coma- when she was born or when she was three years old. That sort of thing. I was able to fix stuff in Keys to the Repository, so that was cool. When you write a book it goes through so many changes in each draft, and sometimes you don’t catch all the changes you make. Allegra does die earlier and not later. Because of the timing of what happened to Bendix.
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ADDITIONAL GIVEAWAYS
The Madman’s Daughter
by Megan Shepherd
ARC
Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.
Accompanied by her father’s handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it’s too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.
Inspired by H. G. Wells’s classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman’s Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we’ll do anything to know and the truths we’ll go to any lengths to protect.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Madman’s Daughter?
I tried to include a little something for everyone in this book: mysteries & suspense, philosophical questions, steamy romance, plot twists to keep people guessing…but my personal favorite part of the book is a minor character named Balthazar. He’s a sweet, unusual, kind man, and I never expected to develop such a soft spot in my heart for a fictional character.
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Unravel Me (Shatter Me)
by Tahereh Mafi
ARC
tick
tick
tick
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it’s almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She’s finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam’s life.
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LAST WEEK’S GIVEAWAY WINNERS
The Darkness Dwellers (Kiki Strike)
by Kirsten Miller
Full Set of Kiki Strike Books
WINNER: Zeena
First they ventured deep under New York to save the city itself. Then things got personal as the Irregulars ventured into a haunted mansion in Chinatown to uncover an evil twin. Now, in the third installment of bestselling author Kirsten Miller’s Kiki Strike series, this delightful group of delinquent geniuses jump feet first into a fast-paced international pursuit, going underground in Paris to pursue a pair of treacherous royals who have killed Kiki’s parents. With a dash of romance, a fresh take on good manners, and loads of butt-kicking bravery, Kiki, Betty, Ananka and the other Irregulars sharpen their amazing skills in this highly anticipated new adventure.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about The Darkness Dwellers (Kiki Strike)?
I’m very proud of every aspect of The Darkness Dwellers. I personally think it’s the best book in the Kiki trilogy. However, if I had to choose what I like most, I’d pick the inscription. I dedicated my book to my daughter. Although I began writing the series long before she was born, with hindsight I can see that the Kiki books were intended to be how-to manuals for my own little Irregular. I always imagined I’d have a kid who would be a lot like Iris McLeod. And you know what? I got lucky. My daughter is going to grow up to be a butt-kicker extraordinaire.
(P.S. I’m also quite fond of The Darkness Dwellers “Guide to Friends and Enemies” at the end of Chapter 10. Take the quiz. It really works!)
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Asunder (Incarnate)
by Jodi Meadows
ARC
Darksouls
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls—and the newsouls who may be born in their place.
Shadows
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
Love
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.
In the second book of Jodi Meadows’s Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. asunder explores the beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Asunder (Incarnate)?
I have a lot of favorite things about INCARNATE and ASUNDER, from the covers to the fact that they’re being published to the amazingness that my words are inside. But the best? The very best is probably that people read the books. They connect to the books. I (with the help of a ginormo publishing company) put the books out there, but readers make it real. And that happening is my favorite thing.
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IN STORES NEXT WEEK WITH AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
What the Spell (Life’s a Witch)
by Brittany Geragotelis
Hardcover
A teenage witch juggles popularity and romance while keeping her powers a secret in this spellbinding debut.Almost-sixteen-year-old Brooklyn feels invisible, but she desperately wants to be pretty, to be popular, to be adored by a cute guy. Luckily for her, she’s a witch about to come of age—so she’s only a few spells away from making it all happen.
On her milestone birthday, Brooklyn’s conservative parents finally unbind her powers, which include the ability to magically match couples with a love spell. Brooklyn uses her special skills to get a makeover, new friends, and the attention of her crush, Asher. But the popular clique Brooklyn wants to infiltrate puts her in the same precarious position as her Salem ancestors: If she’s found out, she could be vilified—and lose Asher in the process. Can she make the most of her magic, or will she be luckless and loveless? Be careful what you witch for!
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about What the Spell (Life’s a Witch)?
My favorite thing about WHAT THE SPELL? is that it involves a character who really just wants to fit in. High school was a really tough time for me. I was a cheerleader, but not popular, I was bullied, boys weren’t interested in me and I had very few friends. I think that high school can be hard for a lot of people (I can’t identify with those who say HS was an awesome experience). It’s a time where you’re trying to figure out who you are and where you fit in and shaping your morals, etc.
In the book, the main character Brooklyn, is practically invisible at her school. She wants so badly to be someone at her school that she’ll do just about anything to get it. And now that she’s come into her powers as a witch, she can finally do something about it. It’s a cautionary story, but I think a lot of teens will identify with wanting to connect and fit in with their peers. The book’s also really funny at times and involves some crazy characters, awesome magic and a little action (some of the romantic variety).
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Nobody But Us
by Kristin Halbrook
Paperback Original
Will
Maybe I’m too late. Maybe Zoe’s dad stole all her fifteen years and taught her to be scared. I’ll undo it. Help her learn to be strong again, and brave. Not that I’m any kind of example, but we can learn together.
When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can’t run fast enough.
Zoe
Maybe it’ll take Will years to come to terms with being abandoned. Maybe it’ll take forever. I’ll stay with him no matter how long it takes to prove that people don’t always leave, don’t always give up on you.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Nobody But Us?
My favorite thing about the book is that it asks the reader to think. About the systems that lead the characters on their paths, about the crimes they commit and intent, and about whether that was the “right” ending for these characters. I love when readers say they weren’t sure how to feel, or are taking some time to process the book. That means more to me than simply saying “I liked it” or “I didn’t like it.” (I mean, “I liked it” is cool, too.)
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Unbroken: A Ruined Novel
by Paula Morris
Hardcover
Welcome back to New Orleans.
Where the streets swirl with jazz and beauty.
Where the houses breathe with ghosts.
A year ago, Rebecca Brown escaped death in a New Orleans cemetery. Now she has returned to this haunting city. She is looking forward to seeing Anton Grey, the boy who may or may not have her heart.
But she also meets a ghost: a troubled boy who insists only she can help him. Soon Rebecca finds herself embroiled in another murder mystery from more than a century ago. But as she tries to right wrongs, she finds more questions than answers: Is she putting her friends, and herself, in danger? Can she trust this new ghost? And has she stumbled into something much bigger and more serious than she understands?
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Unbroken: A Ruined Novel?
My favorite thing about UNBROKEN is that I was able to return to the characters I loved, Rebecca and Anton and Aurelia, and pick up their story again to see where it lead. I don’t usually write sequels – not for my ‘adult’ books, anyway! So this felt exciting and almost illicit.
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Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Hooked?
My favorite part about HOOKED was creating a Native American teenaged girl as the book’s heroine. There are so few strong Native American main characters in YA fiction and it was a pleasure to create Fred Oday (Fred is short for Fredricka, and a member of the Gila River Indian Community) and watch her come alive on the pages of this story.
MORE RELEASES IN STORES NEXT WEEK
Prodigy (Legend )
by Marie Lu
Hardcover
“Prodigy” by Marie Lu is the long-awaited sequel to Legend, the must-read dystopian thriller novel. Perfect for all YA fans of “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins and Divergent by Veronica Roth. A brilliant re-imagining of “Les Miserables”, the series is set to be a global film sensation as CBS films have acquired rights to the trilogy. The “Twilight Saga” producers, Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, will produce. Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic’s most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots – a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games? Dystopian fiction at its very best in this thrilling instalment in the Legend trilogy. Praise for “Legend”: “If you liked “The Hunger Games”, you’ll love this”. (Sarah Rees-Brennan, author of “The Demon’s Lexicon”). “”Legend” is impossible to put down and even harder to forget”. (Kami Garcia, author of “New York Times” bestselling author of “Beautiful Creatures”). “A fine example of commercial fiction with razor-sharp plotting, depth of character and emotional arc, “Legend” doesn’t merely survive the hype, it deserves it”. (“New York Times”). “Marie Lu’s dystopian novel is a ‘Legend’ in the making”. (“USA Today”). “Legend is impossible to put down and even harder to forget”. (Kami Garcia, “New York Times” bestselling author of film sensation, “Beautiful Creatures”). Marie Lu works as an art director for a video game company. “Legend” and “Prodigy” were built round the world that Marie Lu created for a popular Facebook game also called Legend. She was born near Shanghai but currently lives in California.
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Shadows in the Silence (Angelfire)
by Courtney Allison Moulton
Hardcover
Your strength in heart and hand will fall. . . .
Ellie knows that the darkest moments are still to come, and she has everything to fight for:
She must fight for Will.
The demonic have resorted to their cruelest weapons to put Will in mortal danger, and Ellie makes an unlikely alliance to save him and to stop Lilith and Sammael, who seek to drown the world in blood and tear a hole into Heaven.
She must fight for humanity.
As the armies of Hell rise and gather for the looming End of Days, Ellie and her band of allies travel to the world’s darkest and most ancient regions in her quest to come into her full glory as the archangel Gabriel.
And Ellie must save herself.
Her humanity withers beneath the weight of her cold archangel power, but Ellie must hold tight to who she is and who she loves as she prepares for the ultimate battle for Heaven and Earth.
In this final installment in the Angelfire trilogy, Courtney Allison Moulton brings her dark world of epic battles and blistering romance to a blazing bright conclusion.
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The Look
by Sophia Bennett
Hardcover
Can she be a supermodel and a super-sister? She finds her answer in just one look.
Two sisters, both beautiful in different ways: Fifteen-year-old Ted has got “The Look.” That’s what the scout for the modeling agency tells her, and she can’t believe her luck. But just as Ted’s jet-setting off on her new career, Ava is diagnosed with cancer. Can Ted be a supermodel and a super-sister? Or will she have to choose between family and fame? With their worlds turned upside down, the girls have to look past appearances, look deep inside, to figure out what really matters.
The Test (Bluford)
by Peggy Kern
Paperback Original
Bluford High: It’s not just school–it’s real life.
Liselle Mason is in trouble. For weeks, she ignored the changes in her body and tried to forget her brief relationship with Oscar Price, her moody classmate at Bluford High. But when Liselle’s clothes stop fitting, and her brother notices her growing belly, she panics. A pregnancy test confirms her biggest fears. Unwilling to admit the truth, Liselle suddenly faces a world with no easy answers. Where will she turn? Who will she tell? What will she do?
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Battle Magic
by Tamora Pierce
Hardcover
NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Tamora Pierce returns to the magical world of Winding Circle.
On their way to the first Circle temple in Gyongxi, mages Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy pay a visit to the emperor’s summer palace. Although treated like royalty when they first arrive, the mages soon discover that the emperor plans to invade Gyongxi, posing a fatal threat to the home temple of the Living Circle religion. Accompanied by one of the emperor’s prize captives, the three mages rush to Gyongxi to warn its citizens of the impending attack. With the imperials hot on their trail, Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy must quickly help the country prepare for battle. But even with the help of new allies, will their combined forces be enough to fight the imperial army and win the war?
